Leicester City: Family of former owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha launch £2.15 billion lawsuit over fatal helicopter crash | Football news

A £2.15bn legal claim has been launched over the helicopter crash that killed the former Leicester City owner, the PR firm representing his family has said.

Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others died when his private plane crashed shortly after take-off from the club’s King Power Stadium in October 2018.

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s family claims Leonardo SpA, which manufactured the helicopter, is responsible for his death.

It is seeking £2.15 billion in damages for loss of earnings as a result of the Thai billionaire’s death, pain he suffered before his death and funeral expenses, the Portland PR firm said.

The 209-page report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it raised “serious concerns” about the safety of the plane, according to Portland.

Portland said the family launched the action in the High Court on Friday, adding: “The report shows that the accident was caused by the seizure of a key component located in the tail rotor, identified by Leonardo at the design stage as critical, and its catastrophic failure.

“This failure triggered a series of further failures that sent the helicopter into an uncontrolled and accelerated spin until it crashed and burst into flames.”

Multiple flaws in Leonardo’s design process caused the component to jam, Portland said.

It added that a “key design change” was made to mitigate one risk in other helicopter variants, but that no change was made to the aircraft carrying Srivaddhanaprabha.

“Only that design change may have prevented the complete loss of control of the helicopter and the death of all those on board,” the company claimed, adding that Leonardo did not warn customers or regulators about the risk.

“The AAIB report concludes that there was nothing the pilot could have done to prevent the crash,” Portland said.

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s Leonardo AW169 aircraft took off from the center point of the playground shortly after 19:30 on 27 October.

The helicopter veered briefly to the right before “an increasing right turn suddenly developed, despite the immediate application of corrective control inputs by the pilot,” the AAIB report said.

The aircraft reached about 430 feet before descending “with a high rate of rotation.”

It hit the concrete surface and landed on the left side, damaging the lower part of the fuselage and the fuel tanks.

This caused a “significant fuel leak”, which ignited, and the fire “quickly engulfed the fuselage”, the report said.

Four people on board survived the initial impact but burned alive inside the plane, Portland said, citing autopsy reports.

At the time of the accident, Thai travel retail group Mr. Srivaddhanaprabhe, King Power, earned more than £2.5 billion a year, the company said.

His net profit reached £237m in the year before his death, it added.

The family is seeking compensation for personal injuries suffered by Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, statutory bereavement, damage or loss of his personal belongings and funeral, memorial and estate costs.

They also include “the special loss of intangible benefits, love and affection that only a father and husband can provide,” and past and future loss of income or services.

Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who succeeded his father as chairman of Leicester City, said: “My family feels the loss of my father today as much as we have ever felt it.

“The fact that my own children and their relatives will never know their grandfather makes our suffering worse.

“We have considered the conclusions of the AAIB report and thought carefully about how we want to proceed.

“My father trusted Leonardo when he bought that helicopter, but the conclusions of the report on his death show that his trust was fatally lost.

“I hold them fully responsible for his death.”

Peter Neenan, partner at Stewarts, who is representing the family, said: “The basis of the claim against Leonard is the AAIB’s independent report published in September 2023.

“Given that the remit of the AAIB is to report on safety, not blame, the report was the most damning report I have ever read.

“The claim takes that safety-driven analysis to its possible implication in allegations of defects and negligence throughout the design process.

“Leonard’s customers include national militaries, air ambulances and other emergency services around the world.

“It is critical that all operators of these helicopters have faith and trust in the machines.”

The legal request comes ahead of an official investigation

Sky Sports News Senior Reporter Rob Dorsett:

“For many Leicester City fans, this will bring back terrible memories of the darkest day in the club’s history, which comes just two years after the best day in the club’s history when they lifted the Premier League trophy in 2016.

“The legal request comes ahead of the start of an official inquest into the deaths of the five people. It begins in Leicester on Monday and is due to last until the end of January.

“We have contacted Leonardo SpA for comment, but have not yet received a response.”